Editor:
For each centimetre depth of water flowing from Chapman Lake, over 10,000 cubic metres of domestic water can be delivered directly to the SCRD water intake. The proposed deepening of the drainage channel of Chapman Lake would provide us with an extra one million cubic metres of water storage, which would provide us with an extra 50 days of extravagant summer use or 80 days Stage 4 use. Further, that extra water will naturally flow by gravity into our existing treatment facility, allowing convenient distribution on the Sunshine Coast. No other water source(s) being considered comes near to providing that amount of water so conveniently placed to meet our present water needs.
At the time the enhanced use of Chapman Lake was being considered, the public were interested in preserving the quality of water from Chapman Creek. Through a highly selective information campaign, the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association (SCCA) had the public convinced that their vote against the expansion of Chapman Lake use would “preserve” water quality and quantity for all time. Few understood that the expansion would have had no meaningful effect on the subalpine environment but without the expansion, the ability of the SCRD to provide the Coast with the amount of tap water it needs each summer would be severely hampered.
Tetrahedron Park was a political decision strongly promoted by the SCCA. The park area is indeed pleasant and a wonderful local resource for recreationists; it is also a major source of water for the Coast.
A small but highly motivated lobby group has made clever use of a flawed political system to bring us to this present impasse. Bad decisions based on misinformation can and should be revisited. All available unbiased information points to making better use of Chapman Lake to meet our present water needs. We are a democracy. Is it asking too much that we overturn a bad decision?
Brian Carson, Roberts Creek
